Wallis and Futuna

[[File:|250px|frameless|Wallis and Futuna]] Flag [[File:|108px|frameless]] Quick Facts Capital Mata-Utu Currency Change Franc Pacifique (XPF) Area 274 sq km Population 15,585 (July 2002 est.) Language French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language) Religion Roman Catholic 99%, other 1% Country code 681 Internet TLD .wf Wallis and Futuna is an overseas community of France consisting of two small island groupings in Polynesia, near Fiji and Samoa. Islands Wallis and Futuna comprises two archipelagoes: Hoorn Islands group (also known as the Futuna Islands, and as Îles Horne) Futuna Island (pop.~5,000) Alofi Island (uninhabited) Alofi Island is the smaller of the two. According to legend it was as densely inhabited as Futuna up until the 19th century, when the Futuna people slaughtered and ate the population in a single raid. Wallis Islands group (also known as ʻUvea, as is Wallis Island) Wallis Island (ʻUvea) (pop.~10,000) Wallis Island is surrounded by 15 smaller islands, all of which are uninhabited. Villages Mata-Utu (Matāʻutu) - capital of Wallis and Futuna, also capital of Hahake District, on Wallis Island Leava - the capital of the Sigavé chiefdom, and the third largest village on Futuna Island Understand Although discovered by the Dutch and the British in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was the French who declared a protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French overseas territory. There are still three ceremonial kingdoms within the territory: Alo, Sigave, Wallis. The islands are volcanic in origin, with low hills, and fringing reefs. The highest point is Mont Singavi, at 765 m. The climate is tropical: hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees C. Get in By plane Uvea and Futuna each have an airport. The only airline that flies to Wallis Futuna is Aircalin. By boat The port of Mata-Utu is on Uvea. Leava (Sigave) is on Futuna. Get around Uvea has 120km of roads, much of which is paved. All the main villages on Futuna can be accessed on paved but rough roads. Talk Buy Costs Banking facilities are limited, with no bank located on Futuna. Also, the BWF bank in Wallis will not directly change US $100 bills. Travelers are advised to do their currency exchanges in Noumea, New Caledonia or Nadi, Fiji prior to arrival. Eat Drink Sleep Wallis Hôtel ALBATROS, route du collége mataotamaVillage Mala'e, ☎ +681721827. Hôtel MOANA-HOU, route du bord de mer Village liku Districte hahakeBP 136 Mata-Utu, ☎ +681722135. Hôtel Restaurant LOMIPEAU, Standard route territoriale n°1 Village aka'aka District hahake BP 84 Mata-Utu, ☎ +681722021. Futuna Hôtel Restaurant Le Fia-Fia, lieut-dit Puilata Village nuku Royaume sigave BP 28 Sigave, ☎ +681723245. Somalama Park Hotel, lieut-dit somalama Village tavai Royaume sigave BP 2 Sigave, ☎ +681723120. e-mail: somalama@mail.wf Learn Work Stay safe Stay healthy Respect Contact This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!